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Post by empresstouch on Apr 10, 2022 10:37:39 GMT
Thankfully there’s some good news to report.
Three priceless points. A clean sheet. Confidence breathed back into a squad of players struggling to construct complete performances.
And all of this achieved yesterday, against one of the world’s most celebrated clubs, let alone one with the most collectively-gifted squad of players to select from.
Yesterday’s match offered much insight into two clubs with clear differences – yet also with something worryingly in common, on both sides.
Over-used phrases, such as “Too good to go down” have been attached to us for some time now. And far from just this season. “Seven seasons in Europe in the Premier League-era; six times in the relegation zone from the Winter months-onwards in that same timespan.” You’ve heard the rest more than enough times.
Yet in Goodison’s fixture yesterday, for those 90 minutes, ALL the above criticism weighing so heavily on Lampard & Moshiri were temporarily lifted by the visit of a heavyweight club – with star-studded individuals, but NOT a team.
We very much DID play as a team – however much our limitations would allow.
It’s someone else’s turn to face the knives pointed at them – for now, at least.
I’m going to add a little bit about United in the latter part of this article, but first of all: our good stuff to enjoy.
Losing to Burnley, especially after being in front for 30 minutes, could’ve easily been a mortal blow come May. It still might be.
Time was/is running out to get off the canvass and right wrongs.
Thankfully, we were finally offered a chance to do this. We took it. And despite the scoreline only being 1-0, we did so with the odd touch of class thrown in too. The sight of Richarlison repetitively heading the ball into gaining control of possession, with NO red shirt in sight. Oh, it was a day to savour.
The match began with its’ most significant player kicking off, passing the ball back to Keane. Michael Keane then fails to control the ball properly at the first attempt and is forced to play a long, diagonal pass. Yes, I was fearing the worst already!?!
Seven minutes of chess-match probing by both set of players then results in a free-kick awarded to United in a perfect position for Bruno Fernandes, or Cristiano Ronaldo, to pull the trigger. Really fearing the worst now, Fernandes opts to dink the free-kick into our penalty area and it’s mayhem for 30 very long seconds.
“Our good stuff to enjoy?” you’re now asking.
Well, the mayhem ended with one player, returning from a three-match suspension, offering a glimpse of composure in the heat of intense battle by heading the ball over two team-mates into his goalkeeper’s safe hands.
Everyone playing for Everton yesterday made a sizeable contribution. A unified team again, making United’s players look like passengers, much the way we did Kevin de Bruyne six weeks ago.
But whilst there was a clear improvement in individual work-rate AND the purposeful conviction of some classy forward play (Anthony Gordon’s goal, an obvious take), there also had to be enough of a team performance in passing. Enough to deny United the opportunity to turn the screw relentlessly and grind our energy levels down to zero. Keep them honest, so to speak.
The next time we play (with Allan selected), watch how his passing technique and delivery comes with just a little bit of disguise and imagination.
The player the Brazilian passes the ball to, as the result of Allan’s passing disguise AND accuracy, has just that little bit more time either to take a second touch or make an opposition-slicing pass himself.
This breeds confidence in possession. Confidence to be in possession. To enjoy being in control of the game. Raising the levels of our team’s performance, and crucially: reduce the nervous mental tension that can quickly eat away at player energy levels.
Allan, like many of our players, is facing speculation over his Everton future. We simply MUST hang on to his services for as long as his body will allow him to keep performing at this level for us.
That’s not to say Allan was far and away the only mature player yesterday.
Mykolenko played his best game for us to-date.
Delph a match to his contribution against Spurs at Goodison last November.
Gordon’s development as an attacking force gaining more momentum; having the physical AND fearless mentality to decide to shoot from distance; the match winning goal.
Pickford flawless again in goal.
There were many signs to back up the belief held by many – myself included – that the players CAN do this. It’s simply a matter of “WILL THEY”?
A test that Lampard’s managerial career will ultimately be defined by, in the medium-to-long-term. It’s going to be an incredibly difficult test, but I believe he certainly has the appetite for the challenge. It’s more a question of his all-round communication skills upon the scenario he faces. On this evidence, he has a chance.
But yes, we must not blind ourselves from the fact that, unlike a very mature West Ham United TEAM that allowed us a little more possession than we’re used to; this Man Utd club’s players AND manager failed to hit us where it hurts hardest. That being our oh-so-evident weakness at set-piece, aerial defending.
United remain on of the best passing clubs in the world. Any club boasting a roster of players of their class and attributes naturally would.
Like us though, there’s something increasingly missing in United’s repertoire we too have been lacking big-time: charismatic LEADERSHIP. We only have to remind ourselves of the Liverpool club with Virgil van Dijk, and the difference as to what they were previously like with Dejan Lovren, to see how much that quality of leadership can transform individual players into a team of purpose and direction.
United have strong characters. Do they have a ‘team’?
Without boring you all with too much detail, the sight of Bruno Fernandes repeatedly taking short corners, surely knowing that Ronaldo, Pogba, Maguire, Lindelof all capable of hitting us where it would’ve hurt most – a very concerning sight for those who support the Red Devils.
I say this, in that IF you feel the media over the past 20-odd hours haven’t got their priorities right (in criticism over praise), it’s in part a grudging frustration on their part to be able to cast us as ‘the bad club that needs to go down’. History-enviers.
Something to wear as a badge of honour, and pride, when we play next.
Everton: with those priceless points, clean sheet AND hard-won confidence, have something tangible to move forwards with. For now, no-one can deny us that.
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Post by rugbytoffee on Apr 10, 2022 13:10:16 GMT
I thought Delph and Allan worked excellently together. The only under-performing player imo was DCL. He is a major concern and maybe Richie through the middle and Gray out wide could be an option versus Leicester.
I agree with what you say , but one result doesn't mean anything if we can't build positively on it
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Post by jimmy on Apr 11, 2022 20:45:51 GMT
We're playing better on the whole but reliant on a bit of luck.
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Post by evertonfan1968 on Apr 12, 2022 20:24:49 GMT
I thought Delph and Allan worked excellently together. The only under-performing player imo was DCL. He is a major concern and maybe Richie through the middle and Gray out wide could be an option versus Leicester. I agree with what you say , but one result doesn't mean anything if we can't build positively on it I think when he was under Carlo with James supplying he could afford to stay high but for somebody who is supposed to be quick we don't see much of it.
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